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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. net — for catching
  3. bore — to tire
  4. mate — to breed
  5. bore — to drill
  6. swing — in golf
  7. swing — to play on
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. face — to confront
  11. lean — thin
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. face — part of the head
  14. rock — music
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. swing — music
  17. net — after costs
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. mate — a partner
  20. lean — to bend
  21. face — to point toward
  22. rock — a stone
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. mate — a friend

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com